A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the communications field, and, more particularly to a fiber optic cable management system.
B. Description of the Related Art
Presently, it is a problem in the field of communication cable installation to ensure the precise placement of the communication cable without the possibility of damage to the communication cable by the provision of tight bends, or inappropriate use of fasteners, or inadequate support to the communication cable. Such communication cables include conventional telephone cable having a plurality of copper conductors, coaxial cable, optical fiber, or the like. In all of these applications, the minimum radius of curvature of the communication cable is well defined, and bending the communication cable in a tighter bend can cause damage to the communication medium housed within the cable. The installer of communication cable is thus faced with the problem of routing the communication cable over surfaces, which typically include sharp bends, without over bending the communication cable, yet also securing the communication cable to these surfaces in a manner to ensure protection from damage.
This problem is further heightened when fiber optic cables are used. Glass fibers used in such cables are easily damaged when bent too sharply and require a minimum bend radius to operate within required performance specifications. The minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable depends upon a variety of factors, including the signal handled by the fiber optic cable, the style of the fiber optic cable, and equipment to which to fiber optic cable is connected. For example, some fiber optic cables used for internal routing have a minimum bend radius of 0.75 inches, and some fiber optic cables used for external routing have a minimum bend radius of 1.0 inches.
Damaged fiber optic cables may lead to a reduction in the signal transmission quality of the cables. Accordingly, fiber optic cables are evaluated to determine their minimum bend radius. As long as a fiber optic cable is bent at a radius that is equal to or greater than the minimum bend radius, there should be no reduction in the transmission quality of the cable. If a fiber optic cable is bent at a radius below the minimum bend radius determined for such cable, there is a potential for a reduction in signal transmission quality through the bend. The greater a fiber optic cable is bent below its minimum bend radius, the greater the potential for breaking the fibers contained in the cable, and the shorter the life span of the cable.
Furthermore, the recent increase in bandwidth requirements for telecommunications systems has resulted in more densely packed equipment and fiber optic cables than prior systems. Many carriers or other consumers of optical communications equipment have a very limited floor space in which to place new equipment and fiber optic cables. For example, some carriers may only have a single open bay (or shelf) in which to place new equipment and fiber optic cables. If the communications equipment can be more densely packed, then a greater amount of equipment and fiber optic cables may be placed within the available space.
Thus, it is even more necessary now to be able to bend fiber optic cables around corners and other obstacles in order to route the cables to and from equipment such as computers, connector panels, junction boxes, etc. In some conventional systems, standard plastic parts route the fiber optic cables. These plastic parts are often too large and generic to work in the new, denser systems. In other conventional systems, custom sheet metal parts route the fiber optic cables. Custom sheet metal is expensive and also cannot be used in the new, denser optical communications systems, since they can cause damage to the densely-packed fiber optic cables in such systems.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide an inexpensive means for routing fiber optic cables in the new, denser optical communications systems that may be easily customized by an installer and prevent the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii.
The present invention solves the problems of the related art by providing a fiber optic cable management system that may be provided in a bay (or shelf) of an optical communications housing. The fiber optic cable management system includes at least one and preferably several interconnecting fiber optic cable guides. Each fiber optic cable guide includes a radius limiting portion that prevents fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii. The radius of the radius limiting portion of each guide controls the spacing between a specific guide and its adjacent, interconnecting fiber optic cable guides. The width and height of each fiber optic cable guide may be varied depending upon the optical communications system into which the fiber optic cable management system of the present invention is utilized. The interconnecting fiber optic cable guides may be easily disconnected from each other to allow the fiber optic cable guides to be used in different quantities. This allows an installer to customize the fiber optic cable management system to match the optical communications equipment.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises a fiber optic cable management system, including: a plurality of interconnecting fiber optic cable guides, each fiber optic cable guide having: a radius limiting portion having a radius of curvature that guides fiber optic cables from a first direction to a second direction, and prevents the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii, a side portion connected to the radius limiting portion, and a leg portion connected to and extending away from the radius limiting portion, wherein the side and leg portions retain the fiber optic cables within each of said plurality of fiber optic cable guides.
Further in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises a fiber optic cable guide for use in a fiber optic cable management system having a plurality of interconnecting fiber optic cable guides, the fiber optic cable guide including: a radius limiting portion having a radius of curvature that guides fiber optic cables from a first direction to a second direction, and prevents the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii; a side portion connected to the radius limiting portion; and a leg portion connected to and extending away from the radius limiting portion, wherein the side and leg portions retain the fiber optic cables within the fiber optic cable guide.
Still further in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises a cable management system, including: a plurality of interconnecting cable guides, each cable guide having: a radius limiting portion having a radius of curvature that guides cables from a first direction to a second direction, and prevents the cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii, a side portion connected to the radius limiting portion, and a leg portion connected to and extending away from the radius limiting portion, wherein the side and leg portions retain the cables within each of the plurality of cable guides.
Still even further in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises s cable guide for use in a cable management system having a plurality of interconnecting cable guides, the cable guide including: a radius limiting portion having a radius of curvature that guides cables from a first direction to a second direction, and prevents the cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii; a side portion connected to the radius limiting portion; and a leg portion connected to and extending away from the radius limiting portion, wherein the side and leg portions retain the cables within the cable guide.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.